Sixteen homeless after fire sweeps through sections of downtown Kingston

Sixteen people, including four children, are homeless after a fire destroyed homes along Charles Street and Luke Lane in downtown Kingston on Monday morning.

The blaze, which reportedly started around 8:30 a.m., engulfed four homes.

Firefighters are investigating the cause.

Four units from the Rollington Town, Trench Town, and York Park fire stations responded to the blaze.

Asharie Grant, a resident of Luke Lane, said her grandson first noticed the fire and alerted her.

“When mi look tru di window a bay fire mi see, mi start bawl out cause mi just see bay smoke. [By] time mi run out, the lady weh fi har house fi fire ketch inna, she nuh in deh- a odda people come in a throw water,” she said. S

Grant said she lost everything, including her chest of drawers, dresser, bed, two fridges, and a recently purchased deep freezer used for selling juice.

“Mi nuh know weh fi do now,” she added.

By the time Annette Wright was alerted to the fire, it was too late. Wright, whose home was destroyed by fire for the second time, managed to salvage a few suitcases. But she said she lost over $300,000 in cash that was intended for her business.

“Mi blame di fire brigade. People all ride go up deh, drive go up deh, and a dis. Mi nah lie, mi feel so upset bout dem,” she said. “Everything mi buy mi pay tax, suh weh dem fa, cause if dem did come mi yard wouldn’t ketch.”

However, Valerie Dixon, superintendent in charge of operations for the Kingston and St. Andrew division, said the fire brigade responded swiftly.

“The moment we got the call, we dispatched the units, and more than three stations would have responded,” she said.

-Sashana Small

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